Extension device



May 2, 1939. w. A. DAVIS 2,156,973

EXTENSION DEVICE Filed Jan. 30 1935 Patented Maya, 1939 2.15am i 2,156,913- EXTENSION DEVICE Willard a. Davis, Edgewood, n. 1., aslignor, by

meme assignments, to Gemex Company, a corporation of New Jersey I Application January so, 1035, sci-n1 No. 4.099

suitable for bracelets andwatch chains.

Extension devices heretofore used have included a plurality of members foldable into contracted relation, and have occasionally included a ratchet mechanism to provide closer length adjustment. The ratchet mechanism has either been an integral part of the extension device,

whereby the ratchet parts are engaged when the extension device is in folded relation, and are not engaged when the extensiondevice is opened t9 extended position, or has been independently operated, as by means of manually operable levers or pressure members' The first arrangement has the disadvantage that any definite length adjustment cannot be automatically retained, the over-all length being adjusted after each closing of the extension device. It is a principal object of my invention to provide a construction which maintains'any selected length adjustment and does not require resetting.

The second arrangement, while possessing con-= stant setting, has heretofore required lateral movements of releasing mechanism to release the ratchet parts, the releasing mechanism being difilcult to operate, and particularly when the bracelets are small, and being relatively unsightly so in appearance. It is a further object of my invention to provide a releasing mechanism that does not require lateral operating movements, and that does not change the general appearance of the extension device or of the bracelet.

It is anadditional object of my invention to provide a novel construction whereby the extension device may be opened when in folded position, to either release the foldable parts and retain the ratchet parts in cooperative'set position,

or to simultaneously release both the foldable parts and the ratchet parts.

with the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in

conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and

more specifically defined in the claims appended thereto. 4 I

In the drawing, Pig.- 1. is a plan view of an extension device embodying the novel invention;

' Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1,- the foldable parts being in opened relation;

Fig. 3 is an, enlarged bottom plan 'view of the extension device in open position, parts being broken away; v

Fig.4is asectionon th'e line|.-iofFlg. 3; Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the ratchet parts,

in extended relation;

has spaced laterally projecting catch elements Fig. 6 is an enlarged section on the line H ofFlg. 1; and Y g Fig. 7 is a perspective of one construction suitable for theratchet pawl.

I have found it desirable to provide an exten- 5 sion device with a ratchet mechanism which is controlled by the user to permit opening and closing of the foldable parts without change in the ratchet mechanism, to permit change in the ratchet parts at any time whether the foldable 10 parts are in open or closed relation, and to permit simultaneous release of the foldable parts from closed relation and of the cooperating ratchet parts. To this end, I have provided a finger tab which may be moved to open the foldable parts, 15 and which may be further moved to release the ratchet parts, the structure being designed to be inconspicuous and without lateral projections levers, knobs, or the like. a

Referring to the drawing, the extension device 20 I0 is adapted to be utilized as part of a bracelet or a watch chain, and includes a top plate ii, an intermediate plate I! hinged to one end thereof, and a base 'plate It hinged to the intermediate plate, the base plate having the usual end connection ll for securing to one end of a bracelet. An adjusting link i5 is slidably mounted in the top plate, between'the rolled edges i6, i1 thereof, and has an end formation l8 for hingedly connecting to the other bracelet end. The base plate [9 adapted to engage the ends of the rolled edges when the plates are folded between the rolled edges, for detachable securing of theparts in contracted relation. v

As indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, the adjusting link has a plurality of central openings or detents 20 at the inner end thereof, the outer end being cut to simulate the general appearance of a bracelet or watch chain link, and is held against removal from the top plate in any desired manner, as by forming a stop 2! in the top plate to engage the inner part of the adjusting link. A pawl 22, see Fig. 7, is mounted in the 'top plate, and includes a spring tongue 23 having a rearwardly 45 bent tooth 24 selectively engageable with the detents 20, sides 25 which have yieldable spring fingers 26 frictionally engaging the rolled edges l8 and I1, and arcuate portion 21 which rests on the hinge 28 between the top plate and the 50 intermediate plate, and functions as a fulcrum, and a finger piece 29 which extends past the edge 30 of the top plate. Although the described construction of the pawl locks it in place in the top plate, the part 21 may if desired be formed as a 55 hinge and mounted on a pivot pin secured in the sides l6, l1. All the parts are preferably made of stamped inetai.

The operation of the novel extension device may nowbe explained. when the parts are in the w.

Res-suit relation shown in Fig. 4, the foldable plates are in contracted relation and the adjusting link and pawl are in shortest length adjustment. An open ing contact of the finger piece by a finger nail, the bracelet or watch strap being-on the wrist. releases the catches II from engagement with the ends of the top plate edges, andopens the foldable plates to extended position; the ratchet parts are not released, however, and the length adjustment remains as set. If, however, the

' finger plece be pressed further against the edge ofthetopplateJzhepawlwillturnonthehinge :.,'88 indicated by the dotted lines in P18. 4, and

release the ratchet mechanism. A slight opening movement of' the finger piece thus releases the foldable parts, and a stronger movement 5,

" releases the ratchet parts. When the ratchet parts are released, and slide apart as indicated in Fig. 5, the adjusting link may be ratcheted in- I) wardly, whether the foldable parts are in extended for releasably retaining said third member in conmember slidably connectedv thereto, cooperating length adjusting elements on said members. a

' third member hingedly connected to one of said other members and adapted to fold in contracted relation thereto, cooperating snap elements on said third member and one of said other members tracted relation thereto,-'and manually movable means for releasing said snap elements and simultaneously moving one of said cooperating length adjusting elements to disengage the same.

2. In an extension device,.a member, a second member slidably connected thereto, cooperating length adjusting elements on said members, a

third member hingedly connected to one of said.

other members and adapted to fold in contracted relation thereto, cooperating snap elements on said third member and one of said other members for releasably retaining said thirdmember in contracted relation thereto, and manually movable means for releasing said snap eler'nents' and for simultaneously moving one of said cooperating length adjusting elements to disengage the same, said manually movable means being positioned at one end of said first member.

3.-In an extension device, a plate, and an adjusting link slidably connected thereto at one end thereof, said plate and link having cooperating pawl and ratchet elements, the element associated with said plate being pivotally mounted in said plate, and having a manually engageable part extending outwardly from the other end of the plate. a

4. In an extension device, a plate, an adjusting link slidably connected thereto at one end thereof, said link having a series of'detents, and a pawl element pivotally mounted in said plate and hav-.-

ing a finger selectively engageable with said detents, and having a manually engageable part extending outwardly from the other end of the plate, a second plate hingedly connected tosaid first plate and contractable in folded relation therewith, and cooperating releasable catch and latch parts on said plates, said manually engageable part contacting said first plate to disengage said cooperating catch and latch parts upon movement thereof.

5. In an extension device, a plate, an adjusting link slidably connected thereto for extension from one end thereof, a plate element, said'link' and plate element having cooperating pawl and detent means, the plate element being mounted for swinging movement in said" plate, and having a manually engageable part .extending outwardly from the other end of the plate.

8. An extensible buckle comprising, in combination, a housing link having opposed longitudinal wall portions, a sliding link member mounted in said housing link between said wall portions for sliding longitudinal movement rela-.- tive thereto, a control member pivotallyanchored to said housing link and movable transversely only with respect-to the longitudinal dimensions thereof, and a finger piece on one end of said control member extending from one end .of said housing link between the planes of said wall portions for operating said control member, one of said members having a series of ratchet .teeth along a portion'of its length and the other of said members having apawl thereon, said pawl and said ratchet teeth being juxtaposed within said housing link so that transverse movement of said finger piece relative to said housing link separates said pawl and said ratchet teeth, whereby said sliding link member is freely slidable in said housing link.

7. An extensible buckle for a bracelet or the like, comprising, in combination, a housing link having opposed longitudinal wall portions, a sliding link member mounted in said housing link between said wall portions for sliding longitudinal movement relative thereto, a control member anchored within said housing link and movable vertically only with respect to the plane thereof, a finger piece secured to said control member and extending from one end of said housing link be tween the planes of said wall portions, one of said members having a series of ratchet teeth formed along a portion of its length and the other of said members having a pawl formed thereon, said pawl and said ratchet teeth being juxtaposed within said housing link so that vertical movement of said finger piece outwardly of said bracelet separates said pawl and said ratchet teeth whereby said sliding link member is freely slidable in said housinglink.

8. An extensible buckle comprising, in combination, a link, a sliding link member mounted on said link for sliding longitudinal movement relative thereto, a control member anchored to said link and movable transversely only with respect to the longitudinal dimensions of said. link, and a finger piece on one end of said control member extending from one end of said link for operating said control member, one of said members having a series of ratchet teeth along a portion of its length and the other of said members having a pawl thereon, said pawl and said ratchet teeth being in juxtaposed relation upon said link so that transverse movement of said finger piece relative to said link separates said pawl and said ratchet teeth, whereby said sliding link member is freely slidably on said link.

A. DAVIS. 

